Aurélie Dupont will depart as the Director of Dance at the Opéra national de Paris and Alexander Neef, Director General of the Opéra national de Paris, has accepted her resignation. Her departure will be effective on July 31, 2022.

After 40 years spent at the Opéra national de Paris since entering the Opéra's dance school in 1983, Aurélie Dupont now wishes to devote herself to personal projects, including a book, a documentary film, a musical, and her family. This new step is consistent with her identity as an artist, and in the extension of her career as a dancer in the corps de ballet, then as a dancer Étoile and finally as Director of Dance since 2016.

During her tenure, Aurélie Dupont invested to develop the Ballet and enjoyed freedom to use set programming which attracted large audiences, with the attendance for ballet performances reaching 98% for the 21/22 season.

"I am leaving this magnificent institution today with the feeling of accomplishment. My greatest pride is to have contributed to the emergence of talents, dancers and choreographers. Working alongside attentive directors, dancers, musicians, costume designers, managers and technicians has been an honor and an immense joy for me. I thank my directors for the trust they have placed in me and the ever-increasing public. I have a very special thought for all the dancers: the talent, passion, hard work and commitment they constantly put into perfecting their art..." said Dupont

The Opéra national de Paris will set up a selection committee, chaired by Bernard Stirn, a member of the Institute, Honorary President of the Board of Directors of the Opéra national de Paris, which will assist Alexander Neef, General Director of the Paris Opera, in the search for the future Director or the future Director of Dance.

Photo credit: Sophie Delaporte